Hydro-aero machine.



G. H. CURTISS.

HYDRO AERO MACHINE. APPLICATION men JUNE 1. 1915.

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I/VI/E/i/TOR 54M 51 AHMt'V G. H. CURTISS.

HYDRO AERO MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1915.

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MlVE/l/ TOR ATTORNEY GLENN H. CURTISS, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TOTHE CURTISS MOTOR COM- PANY, OFHAMMONDSPORT, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OFNEW YORK.

HYDRO-AER!) MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 16117.

Original application filed September 6, 1912, Serial No. 718,840.Divided and application filed June a, 1913, Serial No. 771,646. Dividedand this application filed. June 7, 1915. Serial No. 32,654.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GLENN H. CUR'rrss, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydro-Aero Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hydro-aero-machines, and the invention isuseful in machines of this character either of the type adapted to skimalong the surface of the water or of the type also adapted to rise fromthe water into the air and alight upon the water. v

The present application isv a division of one previously filed by me onJune *1, 1913,

Serial Number 771,646, for flying boat, which in turn was a division ofan ap lication filed by me on September 6, 1912, erial Number 718,840,for flying boat, and since patented as Patent Number 1,085,575, grantedJanuary 27, 1914.

The principal object of th'ns invention is to provlde a machine of. theabove character with durable and efficient means for balancing themachine laterally when on the water and more particularly when travelingon the water, and, in the case of flying boats, for balancing the boatsalso when landing upon the water. In the preferred embodiment of theinvention shown this means consists of wing tip pontoons carried closeup beneath the air planes as hereinafter shown and described and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

These and further objects and advantages of my invention will more fullyappear and the invention will be more fully understood from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsillustrating the preferred form of the inven tion, and in which Figure 1is a side elevation of the entire machine;

Fig. 2 isa front elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a plan of the fuselage or boat portion with the supportingplanes removed;

Fig. 4 is a detail cross-section through said boat body along line 4-4:of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan of one end of the upper supporting plane;

the fuselage therefor.

Fig. 6 is a plan of a wing tip pontoon; Fig. 7 is a side elevation ofsaid wing tip pontoon; and Fig. 8 is a transverse section through line8-8 of Fig. 6 of the wing tip pontoon. Referring more particularly tothe drawings, there is shown a boat body 1 of suiticient buoyancy forsupporting the entire machine upon the water and having mounted abovethe same one or more supporting planes 11 and 12 connected by the usualforward and rear struts 14, 14: forming an aeroplane. These supportingplanes 11 and 12 are arranged in lifting relation to the boat whenfloating on the water, and in the preferred form of the invention shownthe planes are located with the center of gravity lying intermediatetheir forward and rear edges. The center of gravity of-the machine,without the aviators aboard, is inclicated by the dot c, g, somewhatforward of the step. Of course with the aviator or aviators aboard, thecenter of gravity is shifted somewhat forward and downward from thepoint .0, g. The machine is provided with suitable driving meansconsisting of engine 15 and air-propeller 16 of sufficient capacity todrive the machine at such speed as to enable the air planes to lift saidma chine clear of the water in flight.

The boat body 1 is of seaworthy construction for travel on the water andcontains therein, preferably at its forward part, the cock-pit 8 withthe operators seat and other controls more particularly describedhereinafter, and extends as shown from the front to the rear of theentire machine to serve as To facilitate the breaking away of the boatfrom the water when the machine rises in flight, the bottom of the boatis flat as shown in Fig. 4., and is provided with a rearwardly facingstep 5 (see Fig. l) at a point approximately below its center ofgravity. The bottom of the boat inclines from this step 5 upwardlytoward the front at 4, and also upwardly at 6 toward the rear. The stern3 of the boat looking from above is preferably pointed as shown in Fig.3, while the bow 2 of the boat is broad with a scow-like prow.

The upper deck 7 of the boat also preferably inclinesfrom the centerdownwardly toward the rear, and at the forward portion the upper deck ispreferably stepped to form a cock-pit 8 for the operator. The hull ofthe boat is formed of rigid material such as wood or metal to withstandthe water pressure, but above its forward part is provided with a hood 6of 'fragile material such as canvas, supported on slat ribs 6 of thinwood or other easily yielding material to form the cock-pit 8 around theoperators seat. The hood 6 actsas a spray shield and itsv fragile natureallows it to collapse and prevent injury to the operator if he shouldbethrownviolently forward due to any ac- ,cident or's'udden stopping ofthe machine.

beneath said rudder is preferably a projecting skeg 10 for protectingthe same. Mounted above the water rudder and preferably upon the samepost 24 therewith is the vertical air rudder 25 of lighter material,such as a canvas covered frame, for steering the machine to the rightand left in the air. The air rudder 25 has an extension 26 forward ofits pivot to partially balance the Wind pressure thereon. The rudderwires 38 connected to each side of the rudder post at 40 and 4C1, leadforwardly and pass up through the pivot of hollow steering lever 35 asshown in Fig. 1. The machine is also preferably provided at its rear endwith a fixed vertical stabilizing surface 20 and a fixed horizontalstabilizing surface 21 in front of the rudders, as shown in Figs. 1 and3. At the rear. of the horizontal surfaces 21 are mounted upon thepivotal shaft 23 two horizontal rudders 22 and 22 for steering themachine up and down. The upper and lower connecting wires 36, 37respectively for these horizontal rudders lead forwardly and arefastened above and below the ivotal point of lever 35 as shown. Thevertical rudder 25, horizontal rudders 22, 22, fixed surfaces 20, 21,have to do with the controllin'gof the longitudinal stability of themachineand are therefore termed the longitudinal stabilizing devices ,asdistinguished from the lateral equilibrium restoring devices hereinafterreferred to.

The aeroplane attached above the boat in the present embodimentpreferably consists of the superposed supporting planes as shown, andthe lower plane 12 is preferably secured at its middle slightly abovethe upper deck of the boat and spreads outwardly therefrom in bothdirections at a slight upward angle so as to form a dihedral angle, asshown in Fig. 2. Mounted adjacent the lateral portions of each ,side ofthis lower plane, andpreferably fixed to the wing tips thereof, arepontoons 27 of hollow construction and preferably shaped as shown inFigs. 6, 7 and 8, for the purpose of keeping the wing tips clear, of thewater when the machine is traveling thereon. The pontoons in the presentembodiment of the invention are, as shown in these drawings (Figs. 1 and6 to 8 inclusive), shallow and wide at their forward end and are deepand relatively narrow at their rear end. Said pontoons 27 are formedwith a downwardly inclined lower surface and also have trailing blades28 fixed thereto for engaging the water when one side or the other ofthe aeroplane is depressed. These blades, as shown in the drawings, formwhat might be regarded as a flexible continuation of the lower surface.The shape of these pontoons is such that they present very little windresistance to the forward travel of the machine and at their upper sidesthey closely conform to the under curved surface of the lower plane 12so as to form depending end surfaces for the wing tips. It has beenfound that this arrangement increases the lifting capacity of the planeby preventing the air from sliding oil the ends of the supporting planesespecially when said planes are arranged in a dihedral angle as shown.It will be observed from the drawings that the stabilizing pontoons aremuch smaller than the body boatof an entirely difi'erent order ofmagnitude from the boat-50 that they present no substantial resistanceto the travel of the boat either on the water or through the air, andare so short as not to interfere with the handling of the boat on thewater even when the pontoons are engaging the water.

Each pontoon in longitudinal vertical section, from its mid-sectionforward, may be described as three sided in longitudinal section, or asapproximately of right triangular formation, the hypotenuse side of thepontoon conforming substantially to the underneath surface 'of the lowerair plane, the base side affording a hydroplaning surface and theremaining side the rearward end thereof. The hydroplaning surface of thepontoon is thus given an angle-of incidence greater than the angle ofincidence of the air plane to increasingly resist lateral unbalan'cingmovement as the pontoon is progressively submerged. Althoughapproximately of streamline form the pontoon may be said to'partake ofthe characteristics of a boat in that its sides extend angularlyupwardly from the margins of its bottom, the sides being curved towardone end and the ea set bottom distantly removed from the trail ing edgeof the air plane to which the pontoon is attached: As clearly appears inthe drawings the lowermost portion of the pontoon which in this case isat its section of maximum depth) is thereby located in a plane spacedfrom and below the horizontal plane of the trailing edge of the wing orair-plane surface upon which the pontoon is mounted.

At the upper central portion of the aeroplane above the boat body arepreferably mounted vertical surfaces 50 and 50 to offset the lateralresistance of said boat body to side currents of air and thusmoreperfectly balance the machine.

The aeroplane as shown is also preferably provided withequilibrium-restoring devices one at each lateral edge of the machine,and consisting in the present embodiment of ailerons l7 and 17* pivotedat 14c upon the rear posts 14; between the planes 11 and 12. Thecontrolling wires a5 and 45* attached to the upper surface of eachaileron lead respectively around suitable guides to opposite sides ofthe swinging shoulder frame 51, as shown in Figs. 1'

and 3. The wire 44 connects the under side cf both ailerons, whereby theshoulder frame when swung in either direction will throw the aileronssimultaneously to opposite angles of incidence for balancing the machinein flight, as is well understood. The upper supporting plane 11 is alsopreferably providedat each lateral edge thereof with a triangular panell9, 19 supported on braces 18 and 18','and having the rear cornersthereof 1 05, 105 hooked downwardly to check the slipping of thesupporting air past the same. This arrangement has been found toincrease the lifting capacity of the upper plane.

From the foregoing description the operation .of the boat will beobvious to those skilled in the art; and it will be apparent that thewing tip pontoons of the character described with their attachedpaddles, give a maximum efl'ect on the surface of the water tending toquickl ri ht the boat when it tilts to one side, t at t ey give relatively slight resistance to the travel of the boat on the water and inthe air, that they prevent'the air from sliding out laterall so tospeak, from beneath the planes, an are carried in a durable manner towithstand the strain to which they are frequently subjected inoperation.

While I have described with particularity the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art, afterhaving knowled e of the invention, that the present description anddrawings disclose merely a preferred form in which the invention may ecarried out, and

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. ln a hydro-aero-machlne, the combinatlon of means for floating themaclnne on the water, air planes extending out laterally on either sidethereof and secured to the same in lifting relation thereto, meansincluding an aerial propeller for driving the machine at such speed asto cause it to skim along the surface of the water, and means formaintaining the lateral equilibrium of the machine on the watercomprising means on each side of the floating means depending from thelower surface of the air planes and located Well out laterally from thefloating means and on each side of the floating means consisting of acurved part conforming substantially to the lower surface of said airplanes and substantially fitting the same and a substantially flat partextending downwardly and rearwardly from the air planes at a salientangle to the horizontal and adapted to engage the water and by the rushof water against said inclined part prevent submersion of the air planeswhen the machine tips laterally.

2. In a hydro-aero-machine, the combinat1on of means for floating themachine on the water, air planes extending out laterallv on either sidethereof and secured to the samh in l fting relation thereto andcurvilinear in SGCt l0I1 fore and aft, means including an aerialpropeller for driving the machiiie at such speed as to cause it to skimalong the surface of the Water, lateral equilibriummaintaining pontoonscarried close up under the lower surface of said air planes well outfrom the floating means on each side thereof and each having acurvilinear upper part conforming substantially to the curvilinearsection of the air planes and a lower part substantially rectilinear intransverse section, said lower part being inclined downwardly andrearwardly and adapted to engage the water when the machine is tiltedlaterally to prevent submersion of the air planes and by the rush ofwater against the linear in section fore and aft, means includsalientangle to the horizontal and adapted to extend beyond the air planes andto engage the water and by the rush of water against the same right themachine when tilted laterally.

4:. In a hydro-aero-niachine, the combination of .-means for floatingthe machine on the water, air planes extending out laterally on eitherside thereof and secured to the same in -lifting relation thereto, meansincluding. an aerial propeller for driving the machineg'at such speed asto causeit to skim along the surface of the water, lateralequilibrium-maintaining water-tight pontoons carried close up to andunder the lower surface of'j said air planes well out, from thefloatingmeans on each side thereof so as to prcventethe air from slidingout laterally from beheath said air planes and having a part with alower surface inclined downwardly {and rearwardly at a salient angle tothe horizontal and adapted to extend be-. yond the air planes and toengage the water when the-boat is traveling thereon and by the rush ofwater against said part right the machine when tilted laterally.

5. In a hydro-aero-machine, the combination of nieans for floating themachine on the water, air planes'extending out laterally on either sidethereof and secured to the same in lifting relation thereto, meansincluding an aerial propeller for driving the machine at suchspeed as tocause it to skim along the surface of the water, lateralequilibriumemaintaining water-tight pontoons carried close up to andunder the lower surface ofsaid air planes well out from the floating;means on each side thereof so as to prevent the air from sliding outlaterally from beneath said air planes and having a lower surfaceextending downwardly and rearwardly from the forward portion thereof inthe form of a flexible hydroplane surface forming a salient angle to thehorizontal.

6. In a hydro-aero-machine, the combination of *means'for floating themachine on the water, air planes extending out laterally on either sidethereof and secured to the same in lifting relation thereto, said planesbeing slightly curvilinear in section fore and aft, means including anaerial propeller for driving the machine at such speed as to mashercause it to skim along the surface of the water, lateralequilibrium-maintaining pontoonscarried close up under the lower surfaceof said air planes well out from the floating means on each side thereofand each having a top curvilinear portion substantially fitting thelower surface of the air plane and having a flexible bottom surfaceextending downwardly and rearwardly from the forward edge of the airplane, whereby when the machine is tilted laterally the pontoons willprevent submersion 0f the tips of the planes.

'Z. In a hydro-aero-machine, the combination of means for floating themachine on the water, air planes extending out laterally on either sidethereof and secured to the same in lifting relation thereto, means including an aerial propeller for driving the machine at such speed as tocause it to skim along the surface of the water, lateralequilibrium-maintaining pontoons carried close up under the lowersurface of said air planes well out from the floating means on each sidethereof and each having an upper portion substantially fitting the lowersurface of the air plane and having a lower surface extending downwardlyand rearwardly forming a salient angle to the horizontal, the pontoonbeing deeper near the rear edge of the air plane than it is at theforward edge, said lower surface of the pontoon being wider at theforward end and tapering rearwardly and being in the form of ahydroplane surface and having a flexible longitudinal extension thereto.

8. In a hydro-aero-machine, the combination of means for floating themachine on the water, airplanes extending out laterally on the sidethereof and secured to the same at such speed as to cause it to skimalong the surface of the water, a lateral equilib-' rium maintainingpontoon carried by each air plane well out from the floating means oneach side thereof, each said pontoon having a lower surface extendingdownwardly and rearwardly and forming a salient angle to the horizontalto provide a hydroplane surface, extending flexibly beyond the airplane, and a vertically extending surface substantially meeting on itsupper edge, the surface of the airplane to prevent the air from slidingout laterally from beneath said airplanes.

9. In a hydro-aero-machine, the combination of means for floating themachine on the water, air planes extending out laterally on eithersidethereof and pontoons adapted to be supported by said air planeslaterally out from said floating means to preserve lateral equilibriumof the machine when operating on the surface of the water, each of lilid ll

said pontoons being formed shallow andwide at its forward enteringextremity, and deep and narrow at its rearward extremity.

10. In a hydro-aero-machine, the combination of means for floating themachine upon the Water, air planes extending out laterally on eitherside thereof and secured in lifting relation thereto, a lateralequilibrium-maintaining pontoon carried by each air plane on either sideof said floating means, each of said pontoons conforming closely to thesurface of its supporting air plane throughout its entire length, andbeing provided with a flexible trailing hydros plane surface projectingbeyond the air planes for previous contact with the water.

11. A pontoon having entering and trailing edges at right angles to eachother and having the sides connecting such edges curved to provide foreand aft streamlines.

12. A pontoon having a horizontal forward edge and a vertical rearwardedge, lateral streamline surfaces connecting said edges, a substantiallycurvilinear to surface connecting said edges and a su stantiallyrectilinear bottom surface also connecting said edges.

13. In a hydro-aero-machine, the combination with the laterallyextending air planes of the machine, of pontoons adapted to be closelysupported thereby, each of said pontoons having an upper/ surfaceconforming to the curve of its air plane and having a lower flat surfacesubstantially parallel to the rear edge of the air planes andintersecting the forward edge thereof and a flexible blade secured tothe said flat bottom of each pontoon and extending beyond the rear edgeof the air planes in continuation of said bottom.

14:. In a hydro-aero-machine, the combination of means for floating themachine on the water, air planes extending out laterally on either sidethereof at a positive angle of incidence, and pontoons adapted to besupported by said air planes laterally out from said floating means topreserve lateral equilibrium of the machine when operating on thesurface of the water, each of said pontoons having a top surface inclose proximity to the air-plane and an integral hydroplaning bottomcharacterized by a materially greater angle of incidence than said airplanes whereby the rear lower'portion of the pontoon is projectedvertically directly below the trailing edge of said planes toincreasingly resist lateral unbalancing movement as the pontoon isprogressively submerged.

15. In a hydro-aero-machine, the combination of means for floating themachine on the water, air planes extending out laterallyon either sidethereof, and pontoons adapted to be supported by said air planeslaterally out from said floating means to preserve lateral equilibriumof the machine when operating on the surface of the water, each of saidpontoons having its bottom at its section of maximum depth spaceddistant from and below the horizontal plane of the trailing edge of theair-plane to which it is attached and the depth of its sectionincreasing from the front end to the section of maximum depth aforesaid.

16 In ahydro-aero-machine, the combination of means for floating themachine on the water, air planes extending out laterally on either sidethereof, and pontoons adapted to be supported by said air planeslaterally out from said floating means to preserve lateral equilibriumof the machine when operating on the surface of the water, each of saidpontoons having a hydroplaning surface constructed to extend downwardlyand rearwardly rather abruptly from the entering edge of the pontoon toa point vertically distant from the topof the pontoon at the midsectionthereof, the sides of the pontoon extending angularly upwardly from saidbot- 4 tom and converging toward one end.

17. In a hydro-aero-machine, the combination of means for floating themachine on the water, air planes extending out laterally on either sidethereof, and pontoons adapted to be supported by said air planeslaterally out from said floating means to preserve lateral "equilibriumof the machine when operating on the surface of the water, each of saidpontoons having a hydroplaning bottom of rearwardly diminishing widthfrom a point in the vicinity of the mid-section of the pontoon aft tothe stern.

18. In a hydro-aero-machine, the combination of means for floating'themachine on the water, air planes extending out laterally on either sidethereof, and pontoons adapted to be supported by said air planeslaterally out from said floating means to preserve lateral equilibriumof the machine when operating on the surface of the water, each of saidpontoons having a flattened bottom hydroplain ing surface, and sidesextending angularly upwardly vfrom said bottom, the sides curving inapproximate streamline form.

19. In a hydro-aero-machine, the combination of means for floating themachine on the water, air planes extending out laterally on either sidethereof, and pontoons adapted to be supported by said air planeslaterally out from said floating means to preserve lateral equilibriumof the machine when operating on the surface of the water, each of saidpontoons in longitudinal horizontal section having a substantiallystreamline form.

20. In a hydro-aero-machine, the combination of means for floating themachine on the water, air-planes extending out laterally on either sidethereof, and pontoons supported in a plane below the plane of saidair-planes laterally out from said floating means to preserve lateralequilibrium of the machine when operating on the surface of the Water,each of said pontoons being substantially three-sided in longitudinalvertical section, having two of said sides relatively long andlongitudinally extending, and the remaining side rearmost, relativelyshort, and vertically extending, and of such dimension as to verticallyspace the lowermost portion of the 1% pontoon a distance below thetrailing edge of the air-plane adjacent which the pontoon is mounted.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GLENN H. CURTISS.

